


Dreams and Whisky

by sanctum_c



Series: Tub Fics [11]
Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: Alcohol, Bathrooms, Drinking, F/F, Missing Scene, Talking, Turks (Compilation of FFVII)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:22:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27903667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c
Summary: Shera is left behind as Avalanche flee Rocket Town and she meets Elena.
Relationships: Elena/Shera (Compilation of FFVII)
Series: Tub Fics [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2179503
Kudos: 1





	Dreams and Whisky

The Tiny Bronco vanished out of sight leaving a trail of smoke in it's wake. Looked like it might just about stay airborne until it was over the sea - the craft should make it. Hopefully the Captain's visitors would be okay too. And the Captain naturally. Shera sighed and set about picking up the fragments of fence strewn across the street. The still remaining Shinra staff largely ignored her as she worked; she earned nothing more than a few suspicious glances as she piled the debris beside the house. The Captain was gone - for now. And for now she could relax. At least once Shinra left.

What would she do now? It was clear the new president had little more interest in resuming the space program than the old. Shinra 26 would remain exactly where it was and would continue to rust in the open air. And with it space-flight remained solely a theoretical possibility. A shame; before the project's cancellation she was due to pilot the Shinra 27 - once constructed of course. Maybe if she hadn't caused the Captain to abort the launch. Maybe she could have fixed the issue in time. But then she would never get her chance to go to space that way either.

Maybe it would have been better to let the rocket launch and explode. It would have put a definitive end to their dreams rather than forcing them into this frustrating limbo state. Though that would mean the Captain wouldn't be around anymore. No. She could not think like that. They chose to wait, hoping the company would grace them with new funding or interest in their ideas. Even getting the program assigned to anyone but Palmer would help immensely.

"Hey, are... are you okay?" a voice asked. "Hey?" Someone was talking to her.

A woman in a black suit was watching her. A Turk; unsurprising with Shinra involved. A female one was somewhat rarer. "I should be. Okay that is," she said turning her attention back to her task. Nearly done.

"Okay. But, it's just; is this your house?"

"Mostly," Shera replied glancing at it. The place she shared with the Captain - and far more permanent than either of them had anticipated. It often seemed they had both lived there far longer than was healthy.

"Did Avalanche do all this?"

"Those were Avalanche?" Shera blinked at the woman. "They didn't seem a bad lot." From Shinra's usual news coverage it was something of a surprise to find the town was not reduced to smoking ruins in their wake. Maybe the lack of a plate to drop on them? Gallows humour. "Do you need me for something?" Shera tensed, fearing the answer.

"No. Not really," the woman said. "I just thought you didn't look too happy. My name's Elena," she said and held her hand out.

Shera paused a moment before taking Elena's hand and shaking it. "Shera. Sorry, just not used to anyone taking an interest in me."

Elena grinned. "I'm new at this." Her voice grew nervous as her smile faded. "I keep messing up too."

"I know what that's like."

"I keep getting chewed out and then I tell myself I really won't make that same mistake again," Elena said nodding. "And I don't - which is great - but I make a whole other one." Her fingers curled and she clawed at the air.

Shera glanced around; every other Shinra operative was gone. All that remained was one Turk who seemed somewhat out of place amongst the ranks. "I think I might leave the fence for now. Would you like some tea?"

* * *

One cup of tea became two and then three. Then it was early evening so Shera offered Elena some dinner. Nothing fancy; whatever was in the freezer. Dinner included wine. Two glasses of wine. A bottle. Two. After that they embarked on a wary raid of the Captain's liquor cabinet. Nothing to worry about; the owner was who knew where with those Avalanche people. She was here and talking to Elena. How long had it been since she reached out to anyone else like this? How long since she actually cared or considered someone other than the Captain with his obsession over the failures of the past? Too long.

Close to eleven o'clock and with a good measure of whisky inside them both, Elena decided they should relocate to the bathroom. Shera tumbled after her, giggling as she staggered into walls and door-frames, whisky spilling with each collision as she somehow kept hold of the half-empty bottle. Elena slumped down into the bath and Shera leant against it. "Did you... did you ever have dreams?" Elena slurred after a moment.

"Used to," Shera said taking a swig from the bottle. "Wanted to see space."

A scuffle from the bath. "We can go outside if you like?"

"No," Shera said now drinking from her glass. "Not like that. I meant up close. In the rocket."

"Ah," Elena said apparently satisfied. Shera passed the bottle up to her. "Good dream."

"How about you?" Shera asked, the bottle clinking against the bath as Elena fumbled it.

"Me? I jus-" A pause. "Dunno. People asked me before, but I never had a good answer."

"You didn't want to be a Turk?"

"Nope. But gotta work in Midgar. Means working for Shinra one way or the other. Turks was good. Kinda fun; shooting targets anyway. And I had this psychological test which I must have done pretty good on. But you know Avalanche?" Shera nodded. "If they weren't around, I would never have got the job."

"Oh?"

"They beat up one of us. Put him in hospital."

"Is he okay?" Shera turned to look at her companion.

"Reno? He's fine," Elena replied dismissively. "Just a scratch really. Still; that meant they promoted me." She giggled. "Promotion! Meant I got to see the world." More scuffling as she shuffled around. "Different to how you'd see it. You could see it all from up there. I might see it all from down here."

"Both are good," Shera said.

"You could come too; see the world with me. Be a Turk. And then when you get your rocket." Elena made a whooshing sound. "I could go into space with you."

Shera was silent for a moment before answering. "Not sure I'm ever going to space."

"You will," Elena said with odd certainty. "One day."

"Not sure I'd make a good Turk either."

"You'd be great!" Elena enthused. "They let me in and I'm lousy at it!"

"Okay." Shera smiled. Her new friend said nothing. She twisted her head around as far as she could to peer into the bath. Looked like Elena was asleep. Shera smiled and took another drink. Couple more minutes and she would head to bed herself.

* * *

"Found you!" A voice hissed. Shera's head felt too tight and the world was pressing on it awkwardly. Her body was cold and stiff and someone was in her house. "Rude; get her arms." Shera tensed, ready to try and fend off her attackers. Nothing happened; the strangers stepped past her. They were going for Elena.

"Wha?" Elena muttered behind her.

"Talk about getting a head start on us; how much did you drink?"

"Reno?" Elena asked blearily. "Why are- Oh. I was supposed to come back. I'm going to be in so much trouble-" A groan. "My head..."

"You'll be fine. And as luck would have it, we are now on vacation," the one referred to as Reno said gleefully. The one Avalanche injured?

"Vacation?" A pause. "Can I just stay here then?"

"And miss out on the wonders of Wutai? There's this great bar I found and-"

"I don't want to drink ever again," Elena groaned.

"Says everyone until lunchtime. Come on; we have work too; it's kind of a working holiday-" Elena continued to groan loudly as the strangers carried her away. "We get to drink but we gotta keep our eyes open." His voice faded into the silence and Shera was alone again. Still difficult to move; she slid sideways, the chill tile of the floor oddly comfortable. It would have been nice to go with them; nice to talk to at least Elena more.


End file.
